Walking among people mulling around the streets of Derry--or Londonderry as it is officially called—visitors find it difficult to believe that dissention, riots, and bombings were once the norm in this Northern Ireland city. A writer’s confession that until a decade ago, I, too, believed Northern Ireland was a volatile place; it was a place no one visited and few spoke of the area. Three years ago, I visited and became smitten with the people, the history, and the culture, and it’s the combination of all three elevate the city’s allure.